Papaver plant named ‘Scarlet O&#39;Hara’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of  Papaver  plant named ‘Scarlet O&#39;Hara’, characterized by its upright and relatively compact plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely flowering habit; and large flowers with scarlet red-colored petals.

Botanical designation: Papaver orientale.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Scarlet O'Hara’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Papaver plant, botanically known as Papaver orientale, commercially referred to as Oriental Poppy, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Scarlet O'Hara’.

The new Papaver is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new Papaver cultivars with compact plant habit and numerous flowers.

The new Papaver originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2000 of two unnamed selections of Papaver orientale, not patented. The new Papaver was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 2001 in a controlled environment in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands, from the resultant progeny of the stated cross-pollination on the basis of its compact plant habit, double flowers and flower color.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings at Rijpwetering, The Netherlands since 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Papaver are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Scarlet O'Hara have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Scarlet O'Hara’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Scarlet O'Hara’ as a new and distinct Papaver cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and relatively compact plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large single flowers with scarlet red-colored petals.

Plants of the cultivar Scarlet O'Hara differ from plants of the parent selections and other Papaver cultivars known to the Inventor, such as the cultivar Sturmfackel, not patented, in plant height as plants of the new Papaver are more compact than plants of the parent selections and other cultivars known to the Inventor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Papaver.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Scarlet O'Hara’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical leaf of ‘Scarlet O'Hara’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for the abovementioned photographs and following observations and measurements were grown in an outdoor nursery in Roelofarendsveen, The Netherlands, and under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions during the spring and summer. The photographs, measurements and observations were taken during June when the plants were about one year old. During this time, day temperatures ranged from 14 to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from 7 to 16° C.

-   Botanical classification: Papaver orientale cultivar Scarlet O'Hara. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Papaver             orientale, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed selection of Papaver             orientale, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to develop roots.—About 90 days at 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fleshy, thick; light brown to white in             color. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Herbaceous perennial flowering plant; mostly upright;             narrow inverted triangle. Basally branching, rosette;             flowering stems arise from the base. Moderately vigorous.         -   Plant height.—About 46 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 36 cm.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Shape:             Lanceolate, pinnately and deeply dissected. Length: About             24.7 cm. Width: About 12.2 cm. Leaf segment shape:             Lanceolate; mid-section and base, pinnatisect. Leaf segment             apex: Acute. Leaf segment base: Cuneate. Leaf segment             margin: Serrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent; very rough. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color:             Developing foliage, upper surface: Slightly darker than             143A. Developing foliage, lower surface: 143A to 143B. Fully             expanded foliage, upper surface: Darker than 143A. Fully             expanded foliage, lower surface: 137D. Venation, upper             surface: 138C. Venation, lower surface: 143B. Petioles:             Length: Basal leaves, about 10.4 cm; stem leaves, about             9 mm. Diameter: About 1.1 cm. Color: 144A to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single rotate flowers; flowers             terminal and face mostly upright. Flowers not persistent.             One flower per flowering stem.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from             June to early July in The Netherlands.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About three days.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 14.2 cm. Depth (height): About             7 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.9 cm. Diameter: About 2.9 cm.             Shape: Ovoid. Texture: Pubescent; rough. Color: 137A to             137B.         -   Petals.—Arrangement/appearance: Rotate; about six petals             forming a cup-shaped corolla. Length: About 8.4 cm. Width:             About 10.4 cm. Shape: Reniform. Apex: Rounded; slightly             ruffled. Margin: Entire; slightly ruffled. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening             and fully opened, upper surface: 45B; towards the base, 46A;             basal spots, 202A or N186C to 187A. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: 45A to 45B; basal stripes, 202A             tinted with 187A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity: About four. Length: About 3.1 cm. Width:             About 1 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Serrate.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Densely pubescent. Color,             upper surface: 143A. Color, lower surface: 143B.         -   Flowering stems (peduncles).—Length: About 39 cm. Diameter:             About 9 mm. Internode length: About 4.9 cm. Strength:             Strong. Aspect: Erect. Texture: Pubescent; rough. Color:             144B to 144C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Numerous,             typically about 300. Stamen length: About 2.8 cm. Anther             shape: Narrowly oblong; basifixed. Anther length: About             4 mm. Anther color: Between N186C and 202A. Filament length:             About 2.4 cm. Filament color: 187A; towards the base, 155D.             Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: N200B. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: About 13. Pistil length: About 9 mm.             Stigma shape: Narrowly oblong, flat. Stigma color: Between             N186A and 200A. Ovary color: 144B to 144C.         -   Fruits.—Quantity per flower: One. Type: Capsule. Length:             About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 2.8 cm. Color: 136A to 137A.         -   Seeds.—Quantity per fruit: About 900. Length: About 1 mm.             Diameter: About 1 mm. Color: Closest to 202A to 202B. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Papaver have been noted     to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Papaver. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Papaver have been observed     to tolerate temperature from −25 to 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Papaver plant named ‘Scarlet O'Hara’, as illustrated and described. 